Game apparatus



Sept. 15, 1931.

C. PAPOUCHIS GAME APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet ,1

LB HI! C. PAPOUCHIS GAME APPARATUS Sept. 15, 1931.

Filed Aug. 25, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w/ INVENTOR 42; Wm ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 15, 1931 oniiran STATES PATENT OFFICE CHRIST PAPOUCHIS, OF FAR ROCKAWAY, NEW YORK GAME APPARATUS Application filed August 25, 1928. Serial No. 302,114.

The presentinvention relates to game apparatus in which the player directs balls at suitable tar ets the relative im ortance of which may vary in accordance with a predetermined plan. When one of the targets is struck by a ball, it registers, upon a suitable recording mechanism, the number of points given to suchtarget and, as additional balls are directed at the targets, the score is accum'ulated to give a total after any desired number have been played. A game of this character is shown and described in the patcut to Christ Papouchis, N 0. 1,461,432, dated July 10, 1923, and the present invention embodies certain improved features which render the apparatus entirely automatic and capable'of being operated by a coin receiving mechanism. In this manner, the number of attendants required for a given number of game devices is greatlyreduced and each game is completely controlled by the player who inserts coins from time to time in accordance with a predetermined setting or design of the apparatus. .More particularly, the invention embodies a given apparatus in which the scormgmechanism and ball releasing device is entirely controlled by a coin receiving apparatus which automatically renders the game device capable of recording.

An objectof the invention is to provide a game apparatus controlled as above mentioned, the apparatus being designed to con-- trol,v accurately and positively, the playing ofthe game, whereby a definite number of balls'may be directed at the targets upon the insertion of a coin of the required ,denomination inthe coin receiving apparatus. The simplicity ofthe mechanism not only insures accurate and positive operation, but also requires but little attention from'time to time to maintain it in operative condition. Other objects will-appear as the invention is described more fully in connection withthe accompanying drawings wherein: I

. Figure l is .a 'view' in section, taken on lin ll of Figure 2, and looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

; Figure 2is a plan view of p the game apparatus shown 1n Flgure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in section, taken on line 33 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a view in section, taken on line 44 of Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a view in section, taken on line 5-5 of Figure l, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view in section, taken on line 6-6 of Figure 9, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure is a view in section, taken on line 77 of Figure 9, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure Sis a view in section, taken on line 8-8 of Figure 9, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a view in section, considerably enlarged and taken on line 99 of Figure-l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

9 Figure 10 is a detail view in section, taken on line 10-10 of Figure 6.

Referring to the above drawings, a, indicates a ball alley or other suitable surface upon which balls are to be rolled toward targets 6. These targets are independently pivoted on shaft 6 and, when struck by a ball, swing rearwardly to permit the ball to pass below the shaft'and into trough b to be returned to a trough which extends along the side of the alley. Vanes b may be provided in front of the targets to direct the balls in the proper channels in order that a ball may not strike more than one target at a time. In the present instance, the two outside targets have been given the value of ten points each, the middle target the value of thirty points, and the two intermediate targets the value oftwenty points each. Each target is provided with an up wardly extending arm 6 which is pivotally connected to suitable levers for causing the score registering mechanism to function as described presently.

A cylindrical carrier 0 is rotatably mounted upon shaft 0 and provided with a ratchet andpawl mechanism 0 to prevent its rota tion in a reverse direction. Upon this cylindrical carriage are pivoted display numbers c for indicating the score at any given time. As the carriage is rotated, the display numbers fall against pin 0, continued rota- "a cause only'the lever. f

series ofhookedlevers f, f? and P, which aremountedzupona shaft 7. Lever f is connected, through a U-shaped extension 7 and links 'f ,rwith the arms 6 of the two outer targets. Lever f provided with a similar U-shaped extension 7, is'connected WltllgllllB: arms b ofthe intermediate targets,

' andjthehook shaped lever f is connected to the middle target through U-shaped extension 7 and-a link 7. When a target is struck, it movestothe right in Figure 6 and causes the appropriate hook shaped lever or levers f, f and f to bemoved out of the path of the yoke e.

to be moved to the right as seenxin Figure' 6, and permit the yokea e to be turnedunder influence of the weight 6 until it is iii-engagement with the hookv-"rshaped leverr 7. This movementcor- Si} responds to a-movement of the cylindrical carriagesulficientto cause one score. card to ride oil? of pin. 0 and .fall into display position behind the aperture cl. Either intermediate target I), when struck by aball, will moveithe U-shapedextremity 7? of lever f in such mannerthattheUfshaped extremity ftwillbe carriediwith it .to rock both hooked levers f and fito the right as seen in Figure 6 andthuspermit the yoke e to be moved into engagementwith the lever F. This movement correspondsito amovement of the cylindrical carriage sufi'icient'to permit two score cards topassover the pin 0* and register a'greater score, in the present instance twenty points. In like unannerythe middle target Z) carries all ofthe U-ishaped extensions 7, 7:andf

' with it to disengage all of the hooked levers and toipermitthe yoke e to bemoved an equivalent of three steps, thus displaying the highest scorepossible to be made with-one ball. V Q As the ball strikes a target and registers the proper score as described above, it rolls over a platform 9 which is pivoted to the alley at g. This platform is counterbalanced by a weight 9 in such manner that ;wh-enz-a=ballerolls over the platform, the weight is liftedand the platformdrops, carrying with "it"link-g andlever g which is pivoted uponshaftc. The lever gtis formed Either end target '5 will with a pin g which engages the yoke member e to return it into engagement with the hook shaped lever f. By means ofthis construction, the scoring mechanism is reset after each ball has been rolled, to enable the proper score to be registered when a subsequent ball strikes one of the targets; ,After depressing platform g the'ball rolls into trough b? and down trough 5 ready tobe played again.

When a predetermined number of balls have been played, it is necessary to reset the entire scoring mechanism to the zero position, the condition in which a player begins the game. In order to accomplish this automatically, a motor-his mounted in a suitable position to drive a Worm wheel h and spur k through worm h and spur pinion lit-respectively. Gear h is mounted-upon a shaft It? which is carried by a bracket h within the housing (Z. -Mounted upon the shaft 7& is a sleeve 7L formed with an arm it having a lateral extension h". Pivoted upon the lateral extenslonis a dog h having a depending lip h and a lateral extension h. A spring 72, may be provided to main tain the. dog yieldingly against the lateral extension h. a v 7 Gear wheel k is provided with an arm it, upon the end of which is mounted'a roller M The path of roller h coincides with the arc of movement of the depending lip h upon the pivoted dog 7L When-the gear k is rotated by the motor, the .roller h engages the'deperiding lip of thedog: and

moves lever it 7 A lever i is mounted to rotatewith sleeve 7L and transmit its movement through links a", spring 2' and pull cord ,z'tto a. drum 0 which is mounted on shaft 0'. This drum .73

has secured thereto'a yoke 0 which carries a dog 0", the latter engaging a lug 0 upon the cylindrical carriage to transmit'the movement of the drum to the latter. The dimensions of the drum 0 and the lever 1' maybe such that a predetermined movement of the gear wheel 71, 7 will 'move the cylindrical carriage a complete revolution, thusresetting the scoring mechanism to zero from any position to which it has been moved. In the constructionshown, approximately half a'turn of the gear wheel is suflicient to move the cylindrical carriage to this extent and, accordingly, a pin j is positioned in the path of the lateral extensionh of the dog it so that a predetermined movement of the gear wheel 77, and lever .h will cause the lateral extension/i to engage the pinry'.

Continued movement of the lever h will result in rocking the dog laterally, as indicated in dot and dash lines in Figure 10, to permit the roller h to be disengaged and the arm 76 to be returned to its normal position. Figures 6, 9, and 10 illustrate this operation and show the mannerin which the scoring mechanism isreturned to the balls roll, preventing the detent from returning to its normal position until a predetermined number of balls have been released. An arm *is connected through a link 10 with a crank arm k upon a suitable shaft is, cranks k and 70 also bein mounted to turn with the crank arm 70. bpring 70 normally holds the cranks in the posltion shown in Figure 1 and prevents the balls from being released. A gate Z is pivoted upon the trough b at Z andoperated from crank 70 through cord Z When the detent I0 is moved to release the balls, gate Z drops to permit only the balls between the gate and detent to be released, all remaining balls being held by the gate until the releasing mechanism has beenreturned to the position shown in Figure 1-.' i

In order that this ball releasing, or metering mechanism may be operated simultaneously with the resetting of the scoring mechanism, a connecting link 70 is mounted between lever 70 and lever 2'. When the gear in Figure 1, and a wheel h rotates to reset the scoring mechanism, lever is is moved to the right, as seen predetermined number of balls is released. 7 V

"The coin receiving mechanism may consist of a slot on at the bottom of which an electric contact m is mounted. A contact m is pivotally mounted and normally maintained inthe position shown in Figure 1 by a spring m \Vhen the coin is deposited in the slot it closes the contact between m and m to complete the circuit, including the motor h, through wires m. As the gear 71, contlnues I its movement after the roller if? has been released from engagement with the pivoted dog. 71 the link k 'moves to the left in Fig ure 1. During this "movement, it is desirable P that-the coin be released and the motor circuit broken, Accordingly, a link ais connectedto a crank n pivoted at n and normally malntained in the position shown in Figure 1 by .arm on? on the contact m ment of the gear wheel k to reset the scoring means of a spring 42 The crank is provided with an arm a, at the end ofwhich is a pivoted dog a which engages a rearwardly extending During the movemechanism, the pivoted dog a passes over the arm m without afiecting the electrical circuit.

As the links is and a move toward the left in Figure 1, the dog a moves upwardly to engage the extension m thus operating contacts m, m to release the coin and break the circuit. i

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the game is entirely automatic in operation, the player controlling such operation by depositing coins in the coin receiving mechanism m. It is further apparent that the number of balls released is always the same since the ball releasing mechanism is controlled automatically, the player having no opportunity for manipulating such mechanism. The scoring mechanism is operated in successive stages by the movement of the ball and the device is infallible in operation.

While theinvention has been described in connection with the specific construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to be limited, save as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a scoring mechanism, a ball actuated de- Vice, means to operate the scoring mechanism from the ball actuated device, and ball actuated means for resetting the operating mechamsm.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a scoring mechanism, a ball actuated device, means to operate the scoring mechanism from the ball actuated device, and means actuated by the ball, after actuating the first device, for resetting the operating mechanism after it has caused the scoring mechanlsm to register.

3. Ina game apparatus, the combination of a scoring mechanism, a ball actuated device, Weight actuated means for operating the scoring mechanism, means operated by the ball actuated device to release the weightactuated means, and ball actuated means for resetting the weight actuated means.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a rotatable scoring mechanism, means to permit rotation thereof in one direction only, a ball actuated device, weight actuated means for rotating the scoring mechanism, means actuated by the ball actuated mechanism for permitting the weight actuated means to operate, and ball actuated means for resetting the weight actuated means.

5. In a game apparatus, the combination of a rotatable scoring mechanism, means to permit rotation thereof in one direction only, a ball actuated device, means for rotating the scoring mechanism, means normally acting. on the rotating means to cause it to operate, means normally engaging the rotating means to prevent its operation, means operated by the' ball actuated means to release the engaging means, and ball actuated means for returning the rotating means to its initial engaged position after it has rotated the scoring mechanism;

6. In a game apparatus, the combination of a rotatable scoring mechanism, means to permit rotation thereof in one direction only, a plurality of ball. actuated devices, means normally tending to rotate the scoring mechanism means normally engaging. the score rotating means to preventmovement thereof, means actuated by all of the ball actuated devices for releasing the engaging means, an additional engaging means in the path of movement of the score rotating means, means actuated by certain of the ball actuated devices for releasing the second engaging means, and ball actuated'means for returning the rotating meansto itsiposition in engagement With the first engaging means.

7. In a game apparatus the combination of a rotatable scoring mechanism, means to permit rotation thereofin one direction. only, a plurality of ball actuated devices, means normally tending to rotate the scoring mechanism means normally engaging the score rotating means to prevent movement thereof,

.means actuated by all of the ball actuated devicesforreleasing the engaging means, a plurality. of additional engaging means spaced in the path of movement of the score rotating means to limit, selectively, the moveinent'thereof, means actuated. by certain of the'ball actuated devices for releasing predetermined of the engaging means, and ball actuated means for' returning the rotating means toitsposition in engagement With the first engaging means, I

8. In a game apparatus, the combination of a scoringmechanism, a ball actuated device, means to operate the scoring mechanism from the ball actuated device, ball actuated means for resetting the operating mechanism, and

ated means for resetting the scoring mechanism, a motor, anarm connected to thescoring mechanism to reset the same to zero, means 7 operated by the motor to engage the arm, and'means to disengage the motor operated means after the arm has effected the resetting of the scoring mechanism.

'11-. In a game apparatus, the combination of a scoring mechanism, a ball actuated device, means to operate the scoring mechanism from" the ball actuated' 7 device, 'ball actuated means for resetting the scoring mechanism, a motor, 'anarm connectedto thescoring mechanism to reset thesame to zero, asecond armdriven by the motor, a latch on the first arm to engage the second arm, and means to disengage the latch after on the first arm to engage the second arm, and

a pinto engage the latch to release the first arm after a predetermined movement'thereof to reset the'scoring mechanism.

13. In a game apparatus, the combination ofascoring mechanism, a ballfiactuated device, means to operate the scoring mechanism from the ball actuated device, ball actuated 'means torresetting the scoring mechanism,

a motor, means to control the motor, an arm connected to the scoring mechanism to reset the same to-Zero, asecond arm driven by the motor, a latch pivoted to the first arm to engage the second.arm,v.means operated from the second arm to reset the motor'controlling means, and a pin to engage the latch to release the first arm after apredetermined movement thereof to resetthe scoring mechamsm.

14. In a game apparatus, the combination ofa scoring mechanism, a ball actuated device, means to operate the scoring mechanism from the ball actuated device, power means for resetting the scoring mechanism, a ball container, means. actuated .by' the power means for releasing a predetermined number of balls for play and means on the last named means for holding the same inreleasing position by the balls released.

15. In a game apparatus, the combination of a scoring mechanism, a: ball actuated de-, vice, means to operate the scoring mechanism from the ball actuating device, power means for resetting the scoring mechanism, aball container, means actuated by the povvermeans for releasing a predetermined number ofballs for play, and ball actuated means for holding the last named means in releasing position.

This specification signed this 23rdday of August A..D. 1928. o i

- g CHRIST PAPOUCHIS. 

